Petunia plant named &#39;sunbelbura&#39;

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a new and distinct variety of Petunia plant having a decumbent habit. The Petunia plant has abundant branching particularly with respect to secondary branching, and great profusion of blooms, with the entire plant remaining in bloom for a considerable period of time. The flowers are very small with petals having a pale purplish pink color with deep reddish purple vein, and have a plentiful number of flower in a spike. The blooming period is from May to October. The plant exhibits high resistance to rain, cold, heat, pests and diseases.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

[0001] The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofpetunia plant obtained as a mutation of petunia plant variety‘SUNBELKUPI’ (registration No. 7230 under the Seeds and Seedlings Law ofJapan).

[0002] The petunia is a very popular plant and is used for flowerbedding and potting in the summer season. There are only a few varietiesof the Petunia plants which do not have an upright growth habit andwhich have a high resistance to rain, heat, cold and diseases. Recently,we have developed series of small flower petunias, such as, ‘SUNTORYSP-R’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9557), ‘SUNBERUBU’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.9754), ‘SUNBELOCHIPI’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,355) and ‘SUNBELKI’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 11,558) are of the semi-erect type, have short stems, amedium plant height, abundant branching, and a high resistance to heat,cold and rain. However, there are only a few varieties having a greatprofusion of flowers, a light yellowish pink with vivid reddish orangeflower color, a very small flower size and a high resistance to rain,heat, cold and diseases. Accordingly, this invention was aimed atobtaining a new variety having a pale purplish pink with deep reddishpurple flower color, and very small flowers combined with the abovefeatures.

[0003] The new variety of Petunia plant according to this inventionoriginated from mutant occurring as a spontaneously generic variant of‘SUNBELKUPI’ which we previously filed in Japan [‘SUNBELKUPI’ The Seedsand Seedlings Law Registration No. 7230] and the United States ofAmerica [PETUNIA PLANT NAMED ‘SUNBELKUPI’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,287)],and so on. The new variety of petunia plant was discovered in view ofthe flower color during propagation of ‘SUNBELKUPI’ in January of 2000in the Omi Research Center of SUNTORY Ltd., at 863-1, Aza-Iketani,Omori-cho, Yokaichi-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan. The discovered petunia plantwas propagated by cutting into 500 plants and then grown in pots ontrial in the green house from January, 2001. The botanicalcharacteristics of the plant were examined, using a similar variety,‘Peal Sky Blue’ and the parent variety, ‘SUNBELKUPI’, for comparison. Asa result, it was concluded that this petunia is distinguishable from anyother variety whose existence is known to us, sufficiently uniform andstable in its characteristics, and this new variety of petunia plant wasnamed ‘SUNBELBURA’.

[0004] In the following description, the color-coding is in accordancewith the Horticultural Color Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society,London, England (R.H.S. Color Chart), Inter-Society ColorCouncil—National Bureau of Standards (ISCC-NBS) and a color chart basedon The Japan Color Standard for Horticultural Plant (J.H.S. Color Chart)is also added for reference.

[0005] ‘SUNBELKUPI’, the mutant parent variety of ‘SUNBELBURA’, wasobtained from crossing one petunia plant(♀), which was selected fromcrossing a wild type of petunia plant ‘A1’(♀) native to Brazil andanother wild type of petunia plant called ‘B3’(♂), and a wild type ofpetunia plant called ‘B3’(♂) in January, 1993, in the PlantBiotechnology Laboratory, Institute for Fundamental Research of SUNTORYLtd., at 1-1, Wakayamadai 1-chome, Shimamoto-cho, Mishima-gun, Osaka-fu,Japan.

[0006] A similar variety to the new variety ‘SUNBELBURA’ is ‘Pearl SkyBlue’, which was used for examination as a comparison. The mainbotanical characteristics of ‘Pearl Sky Blue’ are as follows.

[0007] Plant:

[0008]Growth habit.—Medium upright.

[0009]Plant height.—14 cm.

[0010]Spreading area of plant.—15-17 cm in diameter.

[0011]Blooming period.—April to September in the southern Kanto area,Japan.

[0012] Stem:

[0013]Thickness.—2.7 mm.

[0014]Pubescence.—Dense.

[0015]Branching.—Abundant.

[0016]Length of internode.—1.3 cm.

[0017] Leaf:

[0018]Shape.—Elliptic.

[0019]Length.(average).—5.5 cm.

[0020]Width.(average).—3.5 cm.

[0021]Color.—Strong yellow green (R.H.S. color chart No. 144A, JHS colorchart No. 3507).

[0022]Thickness.—0.5-0.6 mm.

[0023]Pubescence.—Dense.

[0024]Leaf attachment angle to stem.—Horizontal to droopy.

[0025] Flower:

[0026]Facing direction.—Upward.

[0027]Type.—Single.

[0028]Shape.—Funnel-shape, with five-fissured limb.

[0029]Shape of petal tip.—Obverse.

[0030]Waving of petal.—Weak.

[0031]Lobation of petal.—Shallow.

[0032]Diameter.—5.5 cm.

[0033]Color.—Petal: Strong purple (R.H.S. color chart No. 83C, JHS colorchart No. 8310).

[0034]Bottom color of the corolla throat and the outside color ofcorolla tube.—Light yellow green (R.H.S. color chart No. 3D, JHS colorchart No. 3304).

[0035]Reproductive organs.—1 normal pistil and 5 stamens.

[0036]Peduncle.—0.7-0.9 mm in thickness, and 2.7 cm in length.

[0037]Physiological and ecological characteristics.—Moderate resistanceto cold, heat, diseases and pests. Strong resistance to rain.

[0038] We previously filed ‘SUNBELKUPI’, which is the mutant parent ofthe variety ‘SUNBELBURA’, in Japan [‘SUNBELKUPI’ The Seeds and Seedlingslaw Registration No. 7230]] and the United States of America [PETUNIAPLANT NAMED ‘SUNBELKUPI’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,287)], and so on. Thebotanical characteristics of the petunia plant ‘SUNBELKUPI’ are asfollows.

[0039] Plant:

[0040]Growth habit.—Decumbent. The stems hang down when potted in ahanging pot.

[0041]Plant height.—5.8-6.1 cm.

[0042]Spreading area of plant.—The stems extends to a length of 18-19 cmfrom the base, and thus the spreading area of the plant is 78-83 cm indiameter.

[0043]Growth.—Very vigorous with abundant branching, a great profusionof blooms; the whole bush remaining in bloom for a considerable periodof time.

[0044]Blooming period.—April to late October in the southern Kanto area,Japan. The plant shape does not change throughout this period.

[0045] Stem:

[0046]Thickness.—1.2 mm.

[0047]Pubescence.—Normal to few.

[0048]Branching.—Very abundant. In particular, secondary branching isvery strong.

[0049]Length of internode.—1.3 cm.

[0050] Leaf:

[0051]Shape.—Lanceolate.

[0052]Length.—3.5 cm.

[0053]Width.—1.0 cm.

[0054]Color.—Dark olive green. (R.H.S. color chart No. 137B, JHS colorchart No. 3707).

[0055]Thickness.—0.2-0.3 mm.

[0056]Pubescence.—Few.

[0057]Leaf attachment angle to stem.—Slanted upward to horizontal.

[0058] Flower:

[0059]Facing direction.—Slanted upward to horizontal.

[0060]Type.—Single.

[0061]Shape.—Funnel-shape, with five-fissured limb.

[0062]Shape of petal tip.—Medium.

[0063]Waving of petal.—Weak.

[0064]Lobation of petal.—Very shallow.

[0065]Diameter.—2.7-2.9 cm.

[0066]Color.—Petal: Vivid reddish purple (R.H.S. color chart No. 74A,JHS color chart No. 9207).

[0067]Bottom color of the corolla throat.—Brilliant greenish yellow(R.H.S. color chart No. 3A, JHS color chart No. 2905).

[0068]Outside color of corolla tube.—Pale yellow green (R.H.S. colorchart No. 1D, JHS color chart No. 3102) with moderate olive lines(R.H.S. color chart No. 152B, JHS color chart No. 2710).

[0069]Reproductive organs.—1 normal pistil and 5 normal stamens. Bothnormal.

[0070]Peduncle.—0.7-0.8 mm in thickness, and 1.8 cm in length.

[0071]Physiological and ecological characteristics.—High resistance torain, heat, drought and pest, resistance to rain and heat is especiallystrong.

[0072]Fertility.—Fertile but self-incompatible.

[0073] This new variety of Petunia plant ‘SUNBELBURA’ was asexuallyreproduced by cutting at the Omi Research Center of SUNTORY Ltd., at863-1, Aza-Iketani, Omori-cho, Yokaichi-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan, and thehomogeneity and stability thereof were confirmed.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

[0074] This new variety of Petunia plant ‘SUNBELBURA’ has a decumbenthabit with very small pale purplish pink color petals with deep reddishpurple vein flowers and thus is very different from a similar variety,‘SUNBELKUPI’, and ‘Pearl Sky Blue’. The plant has a decumbent habit,abundant branching and a great profusion of blooms, with the whole plantremaining in bloom for a considerable period of time. The secondarybranching is especially strong. The flower size is very small and thepetal color of flower is pale purplish pink with deep reddish purpleveins, which is clearly distinguished from the vivid reddish purplepetals of ‘SUNBELKUPI’ and the strong bluish purple petals of ‘Pearl SkyBlue’. The new variety, ‘SUNBELBURA’, has a pale purplish pink petalcoloration with deep reddish purple vein, a brilliant greenish yellowbottom color of the corolla throat and the outside color of the corollatube is pale yellow green. The plant is highly resistance to cold, rain,heat, drought, pests and diseases. The resistance to rain and heat isvery strong.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0075]FIG. 1 is a photograph of flowers of the new variety of petuniaplant.

[0076]FIG. 2 is a photograph showing a partial view of the new varietyof petunia plant planted in a flower pot.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

[0077] The botanical characteristics of the new and distinct variety ofPetunia plant named ‘SUNBELBURA’ are as follows, from observation,during July at Yokaichi-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan, of young plants that hadbeen reproduced by cutting during June the year before.

[0078] Plant:

[0079]Growth habit.—Decumbent.

[0080]Plant height.—very short; 7 cm.

[0081]Spreading area of plant.—The stem extends to a length of 20 cmfrom the base.

[0082]Growth.—Very vigorous with abundant branching, and a greatprofusion of blooms, with the whole bush remaining in bloom for aconsiderable period of time.

[0083]Blooming period.—May to October in the southern Kanto area, Japan.The plant shape does not change throughout this period.

[0084] Stem:

[0085]Thickness.—Thin; 1.7 mm.

[0086]Pubescence.—Sparse to normal.

[0087]Branching.—Medium with a superior branching propensity. Thesecondary branches are particularly numerous.

[0088]Length of internode.—Short; 1.4 cm.

[0089] Leaf:

[0090]Shape.—Lanceolate.

[0091]Length.—Very Short; 3.4 cm.

[0092]Width.—Very Narrow; 0.9 cm.

[0093]Color.—Moderate yellow green. (R.H.S. color chart No. 137B, JHScolor chart No. 3712).

[0094]Thickness.—Thin; 0.5 mm.

[0095]Pubescence.—Sparse.

[0096]Leaf attachment angle to stem.—Slanted upward to horizontal.

[0097] Flower:

[0098]Facing direction.—Slanted upward to horizontal.

[0099]Type.—Single.

[0100]Shape.—Funnel-shape, with five-fissured limb.

[0101]Shape of petal tip.—Obverse.

[0102]Waving of petal.—Weak.

[0103]Lobation of petal.—Very shallow.

[0104]Diameter.—Very small; 2.9 mm.

[0105]Variegated pattern of corolla.—Vein.

[0106]Ground color of bi-colored petal.—Pale purplish pink (R.H.S. colorchart No. 69B, JHS color chart No. 9202).

[0107]Color of variegated pattern.—Deep reddish purple (R.H.S. colorchart No. 77A, JHS color chart No. 9209).

[0108]Bottom color of the corolla throat.—Brilliant greenish yellow(R.H.S. color chart No. 3A, JHS color chart No. 2905).

[0109]Outside color of corolla tube.—Pale yellow green (R.H.S. colorchart No. 1D, JHS color chart No. 3102).

[0110]Reproductive organs.—1 normal pistil and 5 normal stamens.

[0111]Fertility.—Fertile, but self-incompatible.

[0112]Peduncle.—0.6 mm in thickness, and 1.5 cm in length.

[0113]Physiological and ecological characteristics.—High resistance tocold, rain, heat, drought and diseases such as Powdery Mildew. Theresistance to rain and heat is very strong.

[0114]Blooming.—A bloom commonly lasts approximately 10 days on theplant. Pinching is not necessary to ensure continued blooming; however,it does tend to enhance bloom production somewhat.

[0115] This new variety of Petunia plant is most suitable for flowerbedding and potting, particularly in hanging pots and planters, and isfurther excellent for use as ground cover.

[0116] The plant of this new variety, ‘SUNBELBURA’, is presently plantedand maintained at Yokaichi-shi, Shiga-ken, Japan.

1. A new and distinct variety of Petunia plant, substantially as hereinillustrated and described, characterized particularly as to novelty by(A) having a semi-erect habit, (B) abundant branching, the secondarybranching being particularly strong, (C) a plentiful number of flowersin a spike and a great profusion blooms, with the entire plant remainingin bloom for a considerable period of time, (D) a very small flowersize, the petals having a pale purplish pink color with deep reddishpurple vein, (E) a high resistance to rain, cold, heat, drought,diseases and pests, and (F) a late flowering time.